The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) is appealing to members of the public to help stop the spread of a deadly tree disease.
Phytophthora ramorum has been spreading across DEFA’s plantations and is currently affecting larch trees, but has the potential to affect other species of trees.
The fungus-like disease causes lesions on the trunks of infected trees, dieback of foliage, wilting of stems and stem lesions on infected shrubs and plants, ultimately resulting in death.
DEFA is taking the threat seriously and is asking people keep to designated footpaths and tracks to ensure that footwear and bicycle wheels remain clean and free from soil and leaf litter. People are also asked to keep dogs on leads at all times, not to remove any plant material, including wood, clean footwear, wheels and animals before leaving plantation areas to access adjacent heathland and before visiting other such sites, to prevent the disease spreading.
Brenda Cannell MHK, political member for forestry, said: ‘The disease was first detected on the island in 2010 affecting trees within the Ballaugh Plantation, but has this year spread as far south as South Barrule Plantation.
‘Current indications are that complete eradication of the disease on larch is no longer thought to be achievable in the British Isles, so, unfortunately, over the next few years, we are likely to see the loss of a significant percentage of the island’s larch population. It should be mentioned that the disease does not affect people or animals though,’ added Ms Cannell.